# Essential Spokane Travel Guide: What to See & Do

**Discover Spokane: A River City Where History Meets the Outdoors**

Spokane, Washington, combines urban energy, college-town character, and easy access to nature. Located in eastern Washington near the Idaho border, it is the state’s second-largest city and a regional center for education, healthcare, technology, agriculture, and industry. Set in the Spokane River valley, the city is also close to Coeur d’Alene and a wide landscape of forests, farms, and lakes.

## Explore Spokane’s Riverfront and Outdoor Spaces

The Spokane River is central to the city’s identity. It powered early settlement and industry, and today its waterfalls, bridges, and trails are an important part of Spokane’s recreational life.

At the heart of the city, **Riverfront Park** occupies the former Expo ’74 grounds. The park combines open spaces, public art, family attractions, seasonal skating, and views of the falls. Nearby, the **Centennial Trail** follows the river through Spokane toward the Idaho border, offering a scenic way to experience the city beyond its downtown streets.

## Discover Spokane’s History and Heritage

Spokane’s history can be seen in its historic buildings, museums, rail connections, and former resource-based economy. Fur, timber, mining, farming, and transportation all contributed to the city’s development. Their influence remains visible alongside newer growth in biotechnology, healthcare, and high technology.

The city’s location and river also played an important role in shaping its identity. Today, Spokane’s historic character exists alongside modern developments, creating a destination connected to its past while continuing to evolve.

## Experience Spokane’s College-Town Character

Gonzaga University and other colleges contribute to Spokane’s lively, youthful atmosphere. This energy is especially noticeable around the river and downtown districts, where educational, cultural, and urban life come together.

## Things to Do in Spokane

For travelers researching things to do in Spokane, the city’s appeal lies less in one famous landmark than in its combination of culture, waterways, parks, and regional history. The best places to visit in Spokane reveal a community that feels both connected to its past and open to the future—a relaxed inland destination with plenty to discover.

## Walk Spokane with Neywo

Neywo turns Spokane into a self-guided audio tour. Stories arrive as you reach the place they belong to, and the route reshapes when you wander off it.

## More in Washington

- [Tacoma](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/tacoma.md)
- [Union Gap](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/union-gap.md)
- [Woodinville](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/woodinville.md)
- [Bainbridge Island](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/bainbridge-island.md)
- [Bellingham](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/bellingham.md)
- [Cle Elum](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/cle-elum.md)
- [Edmonds](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/edmonds.md)
- [Ellensburg](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/ellensburg.md)
- [Seattle](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/washington/seattle.md)

## Elsewhere in United States

- [Appleton](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/appleton.md) — Wisconsin
- [Green Bay](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/green-bay.md) — Wisconsin
- [Lake Geneva](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/lake-geneva.md) — Wisconsin
- [Madison, Wisconsin](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/madison-wisconsin.md) — Wisconsin
- [Milwaukee](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/milwaukee.md) — Wisconsin
- [Oshkosh](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/oshkosh.md) — Wisconsin
- [Wisconsin Dells](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wisconsin/wisconsin-dells.md) — Wisconsin
- [Buffalo, Wyoming](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wyoming/buffalo-wyoming.md) — Wyoming
- [Cody](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wyoming/cody.md) — Wyoming
- [Lander](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/wyoming/lander.md) — Wyoming
- [Bar Harbor](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/bar-harbor.md)
- [Hilo](https://neywo.com/destinations/united-states/hilo.md)

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